Examining the Effect of Multidimensional Distances on Antibiotic Risk Awareness and Preventive Behaviors

While psychological distance serves as an important lens in persuasive health communication, existing studies have primarily concentrated on single-dimensional distances, often overlooking the potential differential effects of distances under scenarios when multiple dimensions coexist. The current study examined the effect of multidimensional distances in the context of antibiotic risk. A 2 × 2 × 2 online experiment (N = 371) was conducted to explore the interaction of hypothetical, temporal, and spatial distance on antibiotic risk perception and preventive behavior intention. We found that when presenting multiple dimensions of distance cues within antibiotic-related health messages, hypothetical distance exhibited a statistically significant impact on antibiotic risk perception, whereas temporal and spatial distance did not show significant effects under our experimental conditions. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.